UNO partners with TD Ameritrade to prepare students for entering workforce

The University of Nebraska at Omaha is partnering up with TD Ameritrade to offer a financial industry course aiming to better prepare students for entering the workforce.

The course, titled financial markets, was taught during the fall semester by College of Business Administration Professor Ray LeBlanc.

LeBlanc said the course was created after members of UNO’s financial department became aware of the class offered by Securities Training Corporation (STC).

“The last few years, they’ve (STC) built this college program,” LeBlanc said. “We became aware of that and talked with TD Ameritrade. TD was in favor of us doing the program, and they wanted to support it. They funded some of the initial funding to get the college course going.”

A total of 65 UNO students were enrolled in the financial markets course, according to TD Ameritrade Communications and Public Affairs employee Becky Niiya. A similar class was set up between TD Ameritrade and the University of North Texas’ Fort Worth campus.

The course is designed to prepare students for the Series 7 Exam, which enables individuals to become licensed stock brokers who can sell securities products.

“It’s just a very general financial services related exam,” LeBlanc said. “The Series 7 kind of, the way TD explains it, it’s your ticket into the field. It’s general knowledge of all sorts of security stocks, bonds options and focuses on some of the legal aspects.”

As for the legal aspects, LeBlanc said the Series 7 exam fits the specific requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission and tests to make sure people working within the industry know all the rules and regulations.

It’s important for students to be able to pass their Series 7 Exams because nationally, there is a shortage of financial advisors, according to Niiya, Manager of Talent Acquisition Rick Johnson and Campus Recruiting Manager Rachael Flores.

TD Ameritrade has continued its partnership with UNO during the spring semester by coming in to talk to LeBlanc’s students about the Series 7 Exam.

“They come to talk to students about the Series 7 Exam and the importance of it, why they partnered with us on it [and] why they’re excited to see our students taking a course that really prepares them for something they’re going to need after they graduate,” LeBlanc said.

Overall, LeBlanc said the partnership between UNO and TD Ameritrade has been a benefit to students because of the real-world experience it provides.

“The list of colleges that offer this is growing by leaps and bounds every year, so it’s a good
piece for our finance students,” LeBlanc said.